As equipments which support recording media having audio data recorded thereon, CD players, and MD (Mini Disc) recorder/players using a magneto-optical disc with a diameter of 64 mm as a recording medium have been popularized.
For dubbing of audio data or the like on the user side, for example, an operation to dub a tune recorded on a CD is carried out.
The dubbing function in a conventional audio equipment is performed as a user intentionally carries out the operation to record data of a CD to another medium. That is, the user selects a CD or a tune recorded on a CD to be dubbed to an MD or the like, selects an MD to be used for recording, loads the selected CD and MD, and carries out the dubbing operation. The dubbing desired by the user is thus performed.
On the other hand, dubbing is not performed unless the user carries out any operation for dubbing. For example, if the device automatically dubs music to an MD loaded thereon when reproducing music from a CD, it is inconvenient for the user. That is, dubbing an unwanted tune and hence consuming the recording capacity of the MD without the user's knowing must be avoided.
However, as recording media used in audio systems are diversified and their recording capacities are increased, a new operation for the dubbing function is required. For example, if a recording medium on the dubbing destination side has a very large recording capacity, automatic dubbing by the device without user's operation will not be inconvenient for the user.